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His fingers twitch on my lower back.
“Why don’t you just fly?”
“You can’t be for real. You know I hate flying. It gives me hives. Remember the one and only flight we took?”
He winces. “Yeah. Our honeymoon. You spent the whole flight throwing up. And your poor skin was so splotchy the flight attendant thought you had some weird disease.” He pauses in thought. “I hated seeing you like that.”
“I know you did, but you can’t save me from everything.”
“I can damn sure try,” he mutters.
I step closer, pressing my body against his. “Are we done bickering now? Can we spend the rest of my time before I leave doing something more pleasurable?”
His hands drop to my butt, and he lifts me so I’m forced to wrap my legs around his waist. His grin is wicked.
He walks out of the closet and over to the bed. “You may be a little late leaving,” he says huskily, dropping me to the mattress.
I laugh as I bounce. Once I settle, I hold out my arms for him, and he comes down on top of me. As his lips settle over mine, I silently send up my gratitude that this crisis was averted.
I just hope the one I’m facing over the next couple of months is just as easy.
* * *
“Callme at the first stop you make, and each one after,” Trent demands a little while later once my car’s packed. He holds me close as we stand in the driveway.
I bob my head up and down. “I will. Promise.”
“If you get tired, stop at a hotel for a few hours. Whatever you do,” his expression is stern, “do not stop at a rest stop to sleep.”
“Aye, aye, captain.”
“I’m serious, Ally. Too much bad shit happens at rest stops.”
Leaning up on my toes, I give him a kiss. “Stop worrying. I’ll be safe.”
A grumble leaves his lips. “This goes against every instinct I have as a man and husband. I don’t like you driving so far by yourself.”
“I am a big girl, you know.” I remind him primly.
“And I’m a man who likes to keep his big girl safe.” His forehead drops to mine. “I hate this so much. These two months are going to feel like two years. How in the hell am I going to be able to sleep without you?”
One of the things I love most about Trent is his protective nature. But it can also be exasperating. It’s for that very reason I’ve been lying to him for a week. To not only protect him, but to protect myself as well. I know Trent won’t wait the full two months before he appears on Ashlyn’s doorstep, but that’s something I’ll have to deal with when the time comes.
My throat clogs with a sudden well of emotions. To keep from saying anything, because he’ll know right away from my voice that something is wrong, I roll to my toes and press a kiss against his lips.
Once I know I won’t give myself away, I pull back. “I’m sure you’ll be fine.”
“I’m coming up as soon as Jaxon finds a replacement.”
Fear seizes my muscles, but I tamp down the panic. That’s a problem I’ll have to deal with when the time comes.
“I’m gonna miss you,” I tell him.
“I already miss you.”
I smile and give him one last lingering kiss before patting his chest and stepping away. “I need to go.”
Trent pouts. On most guys, the expression would be ridiculous, but on him, it makes him look boyishly cute.
He snags my hand and yanks me back, planting another kiss against my lips before reluctantly releasing me. After walking to the driver side, he pulls open the car door for me.
“I love you,” I say, meaning those words more than I ever have before.
“Love you too.”
Trent stands in the driveway as I back out. The whole time I drive away, I keep him in my rearview mirror, my throat getting tighter and tighter the further away I get from him.
On the outskirts of town, I find a dirt road that no one uses and pull down it far enough that no one can see my car. Putting it in Park, I drop my head to the steering wheel and let loose the torrent of emotions I’ve felt since the doctor gave me the bad news.
I send up a silent prayer that Trent will forgive me once he finds out my deception.
